


Take Me Home

by lonestarbabe (neverfeltlesscool), Pigeonsplotinsecrecy



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Date Rape Drug/Roofies, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:09:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23464444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverfeltlesscool/pseuds/lonestarbabe, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pigeonsplotinsecrecy/pseuds/Pigeonsplotinsecrecy
Summary: A guy spikes T.K.'s drink, and Carlos tries to make sure T.K. is okay.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 28
Kudos: 437





	Take Me Home

After their shifts, the firefighters of the 126, Michelle, and Carlos had gone out to blow off some steam. T.K., who had been feeling down and resistant to going out, was starting to perk up to Carlos’ relief. He’d been worried T.K. wouldn’t have any fun, but now T.K. was laughing and promising Carlos that in a few minutes, he would beat him at darts. Carlos watched T.K. finish his mineral water and put a gentle hand on his neck.

“Before I beat you at darts, let’s dance.” T.K. loved to dance, so even if Carlos hadn’t wanted to, he wouldn’t have had the heart to say no. He was just happy to see T.K. smiling.

“Sure.” Carlos led T.K. to the dancefloor and they began moving to the beat, hands all over one another. T.K. was even more tactile than normal, but Carlos wasn’t going to complain.

As he went to spin, T.K. stumbled. Before he could fall, Carlos grabbed his arm, chuckling at his boyfriend. “Woah, Tiger. I didn’t know you had two left feet.”

“Hello, Stallion,” T.K. beamed, balancing himself and looking Carlos in the eyes. As T.K. looked at him with wide, unfocused eyes, Carlos felt an alarm bell go off in his head. Something wasn’t right.

“Why don’t we got sit down a while?” Carlos suggested, guiding T.K. to a table, but T.K. wouldn’t sit. Instead, he hovered over Carlos, eyes hungry.

It was a few minutes before T.K. spoke. “Carlos? Am I drunk?” Carlos heard, but it was tinny in his ears. T.K. leaned in, practically sitting in Carlos’ lap. “If I am, I’m going to be so mad at myself in the morning.”

Carlos looked up sharply, rising from his chair and bringing T.K. to his feet. “Did you drink something?” He kept his voice calm, but his fingers twitched with panic. He reminded himself that if T.K. had drunken something that Carlos would have noticed. He’d only ever seen T.K. with mineral water.

T.K. shook his head, a dopey smile on his face. “Only mineral water but really good mineral water. I’ve never felt this good drinking mineral water before.” T.K. looped his arms around Carlos’ neck, diving in for a long, sloppy kiss. Carlos froze, caught off guard by the PDA. T.K. was a bit handsy when they went out to gay bars and clubs, but when he was around his father, he kept the touching to a minimum.

Then, T.K.’s hands were all over Carlos, running down his sides to rest on his butt. Carlos pulled them away. “T.K., stop.” Carlos’ heart was hammering in his chest, not sure what T.K. thought he was doing.

“Why? It feels so good. You feel so good.” T.K. moved his hands in erratic shapes on Carlos’ chest, and it would have felt good if they were at home and not in the middle of a goddamn bar.

There was something startlingly euphoric in T.K.’s eyes that Carlos didn’t recognize, and he didn’t think it was sobriety. “Because you’re acting weird, and your dad is right over there. Did you take something?”

“No, I’m great. I can’t remember feeling this happy since… well, ever. I don’t think I’ll ever be sad again. Forget depression. I want to always feel like this, baby. If I don’t feel like this tomorrow, I’ll want to die.”

Carlos felt his stomach drop. That confirmed his suspicion that something was terribly wrong. “Oh, T.K.”

“Why did you say it like that? Aren’t you happy too?”

“I’m just worried.”

“Why? We’re having fun.” T.K. had Carlos’ arm in his grip, and Carlos tried to pry his hand off.

“I’ll be back. I need you to stay here, okay? I’m going to go get Michelle.” If this was a drug, or some other medical issue, maybe Michelle could help him figure out what was going on because of the list of possibilities flashing through his head, Carlos didn’t like any of them.

“Michelle?” T.K. asked with bewilderment.

“Yeah, Ty, Michelle. Your dad too. I’ll have someone stay with you.” He set his sights on Paul who was just a few feet away chatting up a pretty woman. She’d have to wait.

“Tell them that I’m so, so, so happy,” T.K. lulled. “That’s three so’s. It’s important to have enough so’s.”

“Okay, honey, I won’t forget,” Carlos said before kissing T.K.’s cheek, calling Paul over, and weaving his way through the people and tables to where Michelle and Owen were chatting.

When T.K. looked up, Paul was standing there. T.K. laughed. “Hey, buddy. Where’d you come from?”

“I was over by the bar with a girl.”

“Ohhh, a lady. Did Strickland strike out?”

Paul shrugged. “She was okay, but it seemed like you needed company.”

“It was Carlos, huh? He worries a lot. I can’t ever remember feeling worried about anything. He needs to drink mineral water. Hydration is nature’s high.”

“T.K. are you—"

Before Paul could say anything more, Carlos pushed through with Michelle and Owen behind him. “Baby, you’re back,” T.K.’s face lit up. “I missed you,” he said, kissing Carlos on the lips.

“I’m here,” Carlos brushed a hand through T.K.’s sweaty hair.

“T.K., how are you feeling?” Michelle asked in a soft, patient voice, putting a hand on his arm to get him to focus on her. Owen pushed his way to T.K.

“Son, are you alright?”

T.K. looked between them, not sure who he should answer first. “Dizzily good,” he said, laughing uncontrollably.

Michelle looked T.K. over as best she could without any proper supplies. His eyes were unfocused, and he was acting manic. A smile hadn’t left his face since she’d been called over. “Have you had too much to drink, T.K.?”

“Not a drop. I don’t do that. Messes with my head.”

“Did you have anything else?”

“Any what?” T.K. asked, not understanding.

Carlos looked at his boyfriend, feeling completely helpless. “See, something’s really wrong,” he told Michelle. Owen looked terrified and like he was ten seconds from wrapping T.K. in bubble wrap. Carlos didn’t blame him.

Michelle turned around from T.K. “Would he have taken something?” Michelle asked Carlos in a whisper. Owen heard too by the way his eyes widened. T.K. was busy talking to Judd who had come over to see what the fuss was about and had a stormy look in his eyes.

Carlos shook his head. “No, no.” He paused to think. “He wouldn’t do that.”

Paul gave Carlos a sorry look. “Is it possible someone slipped something into his drink?” That was the one thing Carlos hadn’t let himself consider. The thought alone made him feel sick and unhinged.

“I was with him the whole time. Almost.” He tried to think about when something like that could’ve happened. “There was a guy who was bothering earlier when I got back from the bathroom, but I thought he was just an asshole, and T.K. got him to go away pretty easily.”

“Damnit,” Owen cursed, looking as angry as Carlos felt. “What exactly did the guy do?”

“He was flirting. Saying filthy stuff,” stuff Carlos wasn’t about to repeat in front of the whole group, knowing it would humiliate T.K. if he were sober. “He tried to put his hands on him, but T.K. pushed him away, and the guy left without much fuss.”

Judd crossed his arms, voice gruff. “And you didn’t deck him for that?”

“I’m a cop. If I hit every asshole, I crossed paths with, I’d never stop punching, and I’d be out of a job. Besides, it would only piss T.K. off if I tried to fight someone for him.”

Paul raised his eyebrows, “Do you know that from experience?”

Carlos ignored Paul’s question. “We need to get him out of here.”

“We also need to find the asshole who did this,” Judd said, fists clenched. If they found him, Carlos wasn’t going to stop Judd from throwing some punches.

“Did what?” T.K. asked but didn’t wait for a response, pushing through the group so he could kiss Carlos. “You’re so handsome and do lots of sexy…” T.K.’s eyes caught his dad’s. “Dad? What are you doing here?”

“Just making sure you’re okay son.”

“Why do you sound so angry?”

Michelle tried to calm them. “We don’t know that he did anything yet,” though she didn’t seem convinced. “Focus on T.K. He needs to go to the hospital, and you need to ensure he’s specifically tested for date rape drugs— ketamine, Rohypnol, GHB, are the common ones.” She knew that Carlos knew all that, but she also knew that he wasn’t thinking clearly with all the stress of what was happening. The words were heavy between them.

“We’re going to get you out of here, son,” Owen promised, rubbing the back of T.K,’s neck. “Come on, Carlos, I’ll drive us to the hospital, and you can sit with T.K. to monitor him on the way.”

Carlos nodded, “Okay, I can do that.”

Judd patted T.K. on the back. “Let me know if I can do anything, Cap.”

“Same here,” Paul added glumly.

“Will do. Thanks. I’ll keep you updated. Ready to go, Reyes?”

Carlos nodded. “I’ll take care of your car,” Michelle promised, and Carlos handed her his keys.

“Thank you.” Carlos turned to T.K. who’d started swaying to the music. “T.K., we’re going to the hospital.”

“Why? Who’s hurt?”

“You are,” Carlos explained, pulling T.K. towards to door.

“I feel great.”

“I know, but we have to make sure you’re okay.”

T.K. look confused but nodded. “I don’t care as long as I’m with you.”

Holding T.K.’s arm, Carlos followed Owen through the bar and to his car. He got into the back seat with T.K., and buckled them both in. T.K. couldn’t stay still during the drive. He’d tried getting out of the car while it was still moving—twice— but Carlos had locked his door and kept careful watch on him until they finally arrived to the hospital’s emergency room entrance. Owen dropped them off and then went to park, meeting them in the ER a few minutes later.

As they sat in the hospital waiting room, Owen and Carlos took turns being worried and tending to T.K. Meanwhile, T.K. seemed oblivious to what was happening. He was grinning from ear to ear, and they had trouble getting him to sit down. Carlos knew he was going to feel shitty when he finally crashed, and while he wanted T.K. to go back to being himself, he hated that T.K. probably wouldn’t remember what had happened to him. They waited impatiently, but the emergency room was busy, and the hospital was short staffed, making a long night drag even longer.

The hours passed, and T.K.’s high peaked and began to wear off. Carlos could tell by the way T.K.’s body dropped, quiet and more pliant than ever. By the time a nurse finally called T.K.’s name, T.K. could barely move of his own volition, his body limp against Carlos’. Carlos had to support most of T.K.’s weight and pull him to the examination cubicle. Owen couldn’t hide the rage on his face as he saw the vacant look in T.K.’s sleepy eyes.

When the tests were finally finished, they were told that they’d probably have results within twenty-four hours and that they could go home while they waited. Owen drove them all to his house, urging Carlos to stay over for the night. He assumed T.K. would want him there, and by the way T.K. had latched onto Carlos’ arm, Carlos didn’t have it in him to argue. He didn’t want to let his eyes off T.K. anyways, still feeling a dull throb of anxiety coursing through his body. T.K. being high would be easy compared to what came after.

Carlos tucked a pliable and depressed T.K. into bed, promising him that they’d deal with everything in the morning, but T.K. was too out of it to make sense of Carlos’ words. Maybe it was better he didn’t understand what was happening until he was more conscious. 

* * *

T.K. woke up to the sun shining too brightly through the cracks in the blind. It wasn’t even that bright, but there was a nasty knot in T.K.’s stomach, making him feel unable to even flip his body over on the bed. Carlos, who had been sending emails on his laptop, closed the laptop’s lid and turned to T.K. “How are you feeling?” Carlos’ face looked sad, and T.K. tried to figure out why. Why did Carlos seem to think he was sick?

They were in T.K.’s room, he noticed, which was weird because him and Carlos almost always went back to Carlos’ place. He remembered going out, but the night after that was a blur. He tried to search his memory for why they’d chosen to come back to Owen’s house, but his memory was blank.

A hard realization struck him. He hadn’t felt this way since the days when he’d get high. This didn’t feel like oxy, though. He preferred oxy, but he’d tried others, and he couldn’t place what this feeling was, but it was something familiar. A substance had been involved, he was sure of that. “What did I do?” he asked, heart picking up in pace. He had a bad feeling he’d fucked up majorly, and the guilty look on Carlos’ face wasn’t reassuring. T.K. corrected his question. “What did I take?”

Carlos took T.K.’s hand. “You didn’t do anything.”

“I know what a crash feels like, Carlos, and the fact that I don’t remember anything brings me back to days I’d rather forget.” It was ironic that he often didn’t remember the good times. The highs blurred in his mind, all surrounded by a frosty edge, but the crashes after the highs were moments he could never forget. They were the reasons he had to keep getting high to avoid the melancholy that followed a night of fun.

“We think you were drugged.” The words didn’t make sense to T.K., sounding wobbly to his ears.

“What?”

“We think someone slipped something in your mineral water.” He’d process that later. For now, he was going to try to get as much information as he could to piece the night together.

“What did they give me?”

Carlos’ jaw clenched. “We have to wait for the test results to get back, but probably a club drug.” T.K. could tell that Carlos was being careful with his words as to not upset T.K. more. Anxiety was starting to turn into rage.

T.K.’s voice turned angry. “You mean a date rape drug,” he said louder than he’d intended.

Carlos’ voice was soft. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” T.K. cut in bitterly. “You’re not the asshole who did it.”

“I’m still sorry that it happened.” T.K. softened as he saw guilt written all over Carlos’ face. He was blaming himself. T.K. forced himself to sit up and loop his arm around Carlos’.

T.K. closed his eyes, trying to keep himself from breaking down. “What… did I…” he couldn’t even get it out. He opened his eyes to look at Carlos, and he couldn’t help the tear that came out. Carlos brushed it away with his tumb. “Did I do something that I’d regret?” _Was something done to me?_ went unsaid.

Brushing a hand through T.K.’s hair, Carlos sighed. “No, honey, I was with you the whole time you were drugged. He didn’t do anything to you other than drug you.”

“I hate this.”

“I know. It’s awful what he did.” What some guy he didn’t know did to him was not the thing feeding T.K.’s emotions.

“It’s awful what I did to myself,” T.K. corrected.

“You didn’t—” Carlos would be the first to absolve T.K. of his sins.

“Not last night. It used to happen a lot, the blackouts.”

“Oh?” Carlos wasn’t stupid. He surely had an idea where the conversation was going, but T.K. knew he would listen and avoid putting words into T.K.’s mouth. T.K. was grateful for it.

“Back when my substance abuse was at its worse, I was mostly into oxy, and that caused enough problems, but I used other shit as well. I’d drink a lot, but also take other stuff when I was offered it. _Club drugs_. They make you feel pretty euphoric, at least until the crash, but when they go wrong, they really go wrong. I’d lose control. I’d get so wasted that I’d wake up naked in random guys’ beds, and I wouldn’t remember anything, which fucking sucks, but it was my own fault.”

“If someone hurt you, it’s never your fault,” Carlos couldn’t help but say.

T.K. shook his head. “I felt so stupid, and the wondering what you did the night before, it can really drive you crazy if you let it. You try to piece together the clues like a goddamn detective. You look around the room trying to see where you are. You see how your body feels. You try to find your clothes. You try to figure out who you went home with. You ask the people you were with what happened, but they were probably just as high. But when it comes down to it, there are nights you’ll never get back. You’ll never get an explanation of what happened to you, and that’s terrifying, and it’s so hard to get over what you don’t know. You keep wanting to forget. So, you keep doing the same old things that make your life hell but give you temporary release.”

“Sounds awful,” Carlos agreed. He could barely speak with all the emotions bubbling up in his own chest. He pulled T.K.’s hand to his lips, giving it a kiss. “I can try to answer any questions you may have. Your dad too.”

“My dad.” T.K.’s face fell. “Fuck. I didn’t want to worry my dad.” Another wave of panic hit him. “Who else was there?”

“Us, your dad, Michelle, Paul and Judd and Grace was around somewhere. Mateo and Marjan had already gone home.”

“Damn it. I never had an audience when I was fucked up before.” Well, he had, but they hadn’t been people he cared about. Their opinions hadn’t concerned him. “I can never show my face again.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Ty. They understand that.”

“It’s still humiliating. I relapsed.”

“You didn’t want to be drugged. It wasn’t your choice. It may make it harder to stay sober, but you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Yes, I did. I wanted it. There’s that part of me that still, and always will, enjoys the high. This is going to ruin all the progress I’ve made.”

“It doesn’t have to. You have lots of people to talk to if you have a hard time. Me, your dad, your team, and your therapist too.” T.K. already wanted something to kick the feelings. Alcohol. Oxy. Ecstasy. He’d take a shit ton of fucking Benadryl if he had any. 

T.K. redirected the conversation. “Who did it?” Not, _who did this to me?_

“Not too long before you started acting differently, I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, there was a guy hitting on you. You sent him away, but he could’ve spiked your drink while he was there. Other than that, we don’t have any leads. We’ll wait for test results for more information and go from there.”

“ _Leads_? I’m not a case, Carlos.” An uncontrollable, irritable energy had filled T.K., and he hated how snappy it had made him.

“I know. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m just being stupid.” T.K. sighed. “Sorry. I’m such an asshole.”

Carlos gave a small smile. “I think we’ve apologized enough for one morning. I know you’re just trying to process what happened. It takes time.” T.K. almost hated how understanding he was.

“It shouldn’t. It’s not like anyone hurt me. I’m fine.”

“He violated you. He took away your autonomy. Even if it wasn’t the worst-case scenario, you have the right to be upset, Ty.”

“I don’t want to be upset anymore. But I feel like shit and depressed and angry. What if I never feel okay again? What then? What if I go back to being a junkie who can’t stand to be sober?’

“Then, I’ll do whatever I can to help you through it, but this awful thing that happened to you doesn’t have to ruin anything. It will get better. It just takes time.”

“I wish I could skip that time. Blackout and wake up feeling great.”

Carlos kissed his forehead. “But because you can’t do that, we’ll just have to try to have good moments when we find them. You can find things to look forward to, even if you to struggle to find any present good.”

“You think so?”

Carlos nodded. “When I’m having a bad day at work, I always think of getting to see you and it gets me through the day.”

A smile pulled at T.K.’s face. “Who made you so sweet?”

“I think I was born this way, but you sure bring it out of me, Tiger.”

T.K. rolled over so that he was on top of Carlos. “I’ve just thought of something to look forward to,” he whispered in Carlos’ ear. “Do you think you can schedule me in for tonight when I feel human again?”

Carlos clutched onto T.K.’s waist. “Whatever and whenever you want.”

“7 o’clock. Your place, so we can be noisy.” For a while, T.K. wanted just a small escape from his thoughts. “Until then,” T.K.’s voice was soft, “I want to cuddle.” Because he still felt like his whole world had been flipped on its head, but he was going to try to be okay. Somehow, someway. 

Carlos kissed him. “As long as you need.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this nearly done for weeks, so I thought I'd just finish it up quickly. Figured I might as well post it.


End file.
